Hypnospace Outlaw

Hypnospace Outlaw is an incredible nostalgia trip into the Internet of the 90s, with great investigative gameplay and emotional moments

93%Game Brain Score

story, music

grinding, stability

97% User Score Based on 4,669 reviews

Critic Score 85%Based on 4 reviews

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About

Hypnospace Outlaw is a single player role playing game with fantasy, mystery, comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by TetroniMike and was released on March 12, 2019. It received positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

In "Hypnospace Outlaw," players join the Hypnospace Patrol Department to police a virtual 90's internet simulation, Hypnospace, for wrongdoings such as copyright infringement and internet bullying. Customize your desktop, avoid viruses, and download apps while managing your inbox and reporting incidents for rewards. Your job as a Hypnospace Enforcer is to maintain order in this nostalgic yet chaotic online world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,669 reviews

story374 positive mentions

grinding49 negative mentions

Hypnospace Outlaw is a unique and immersive experience that captures the essence of the late 90s internet culture, filled with quirky characters and engaging storylines.
The game features a vast array of original music, with many catchy tracks that enhance the nostalgic atmosphere and add depth to the gameplay.
The writing is clever and heartfelt, making players genuinely care about the characters and their stories, leading to emotional moments throughout the game.

Some puzzles can be overly complex or obscure, leading to frustration and the need for walkthroughs, which can detract from the overall experience.
The game can feel tedious at times, especially when players are required to revisit multiple pages to find specific clues or information.
The pacing towards the end can feel rushed or anticlimactic, leaving some players wanting more closure or resolution to the story.

story
997 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
60%
2%
The story of "Hypnospace Outlaw" is a surprisingly intricate and engaging narrative set against the backdrop of a nostalgic, alternate 90s internet. Players take on the role of an enforcer, navigating a web of quirky characters and evolving plots that explore themes of exploitation, censorship, and the complexities of online communities. While the main storyline is relatively short and can feel rushed at times, the depth of character development and the richness of the world encourage exploration and discovery, making the experience both immersive and emotionally resonant.
- “The game’s plot gradually reveals a story of exploitation, censorship, and tragedy, told through subtle changes in websites, user activity, and evolving web culture.”
- “Under the goofiness is a weird, human web of pages that—surprisingly—folds into an actual story by the end.”
- “The story is so good! The game captures the feeling of exploring this outdated piece of experimental software so well, and the story does exactly what it should to open new areas to explore and new culture to learn.”
- “The game is set up where you can miss entire chunks of the story if you're not constantly retracing your steps and going back to old pages, which it never prompts you to do, so I missed a good quarter of context by missing some things by the end because I forgot to check so and so's webpage again to see what changed.”
- “The main story starts off strong but then completely falls apart halfway through.”
- “The story just kind of stops, like one other review mentions, I have to agree with that.”
music
916 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
The music in "Hypnospace Outlaw" is widely praised for its extensive variety and quality, featuring a mix of catchy original tracks, nostalgic MIDI tunes, and humorous jingles that perfectly capture the essence of the late '90s internet. Players appreciate the depth of the soundtrack, which includes fictional genres and artists, enhancing the game's immersive world-building and adding layers to its storytelling. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's charm and nostalgic appeal.
- “The soundtrack, composed by Jay Tholen (also the game’s lead developer), is a brilliant blend of lo-fi MIDI tunes, genre pastiches, and deliberately cringe-worthy earworms that perfectly suit the world they inhabit.”
- “The music is beautiful, the atmosphere really sets the mood, everything about this game is perfect.”
- “The music is incredible, and you can hunt down and learn about new imagined subgenres for hours if you want.”
- “The music got so incredibly loud and the visuals were really bright and flashy, and it was just a lot.”
- “The 90s aesthetic is well done, but really annoying, with individual, auto-playing music tracks on every page which you have to manually turn off each time you visit a new website.”
- “The music can be extremely catchy and heartfelt.”
graphics
460 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
63%
2%
The graphics of *Hypnospace Outlaw* are a nostalgic homage to the late 90s and early 2000s internet, featuring a chaotic mix of pixel art, garish colors, and amateurish web design that perfectly captures the era's aesthetic. Players appreciate the game's vibrant visuals and quirky character designs, which evoke fond memories of early web culture while also delivering a rich narrative experience. Overall, the game's unique art style and attention to detail create an immersive environment that resonates with fans of retro aesthetics.
- “The graphics and music are fantastic, perfectly capturing the late 90s/early 2000s internet aesthetic.”
- “The aesthetic is powerfully spot-on, from the messy HTML layouts to the crude CG videos that look straight out of those old mind’s eye videos.”
- “Hypnospace outlaw really nails its aesthetic, and in addition to being hilarious, it also feels really earnest.”
- “The very low-res graphics and added noise on every image look like a child's idea of what Windows 98 looked like.”
- “The websites themselves sometimes pull off a deliberately awful aesthetic that is painful to look at, often with clashing and garish colors, images, and fonts, as if built by the in-universe website builder.”
- “Annoyingly slow, shitty design with gifs all over the place and shitty low color graphics.”
humor
411 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in "Hypnospace Outlaw" is widely praised for its cleverness and nostalgia, effectively capturing the quirky essence of late 90s internet culture. Players find the game genuinely hilarious, with a mix of absurdity, satire, and heartfelt moments that resonate deeply, often eliciting both laughter and emotional responses. The writing, character interactions, and the game's unique presentation contribute to a rich tapestry of humor that appeals to those familiar with the era, while also offering a thoughtful exploration of digital communities.
- “Ultimately, Hypnospace Outlaw is more than just a nostalgia trip—it’s a complex, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking exploration of how digital communities form, evolve, and break under the weight of their own contradictions.”
- “The game doesn’t rush you through these spaces either; it invites you to explore them at your own pace, to follow links that go nowhere, to download sketchy programs that might brick your system, to read forum flame wars that spiral hilariously out of control.”
- “Hypnospace Outlaw perfectly balances funny memes and cringe comedy and very tasty and healthy too Granny Cream's hot butter ice cream with some of the most realistic characters, emotional plotlines, and impressive in-game worlds I've seen in years.”
- “It's not funny or interesting enough to make me want to ravenously devour every tidbit of fiction like some other narrative games.”
- “When it's not funny, you're essentially reading blog posts that aren't even real and asking, 'where is the funny?' until you find something good.”
- “Humor that isn't cringey.”
gameplay
349 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
68%
6%
The gameplay of *Hypnospace Outlaw* is a unique blend of exploration and puzzle-solving set in a simulated late-90s internet environment, where players act as moderators investigating web pages for violations. While the mechanics are innovative and the narrative engaging, many players find the gameplay loop tedious and sometimes frustrating, with a reliance on reading and navigating through text-heavy content. Overall, the experience is highly immersive and nostalgic, appealing primarily to those who appreciate its quirky humor and retro aesthetic, though it may not resonate with everyone due to its unconventional approach.
- “The gameplay of Hypnospace Outlaw is unlike anything found in more traditional games.”
- “The core gameplay loop is very rewarding, but it is only that way because of the attention to detail put into every corner of this virtual internet.”
- “Hypnospace Outlaw deftly captures this spirit of the early internet, while also offering a unique gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay is often obtuse, making it hard to fully engage with the experience.”
- “The actual gameplay feels like work, and I found it tedious very quickly.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay loop is tiresome and lacks the excitement needed to keep players engaged.”
emotional
209 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Hypnospace Outlaw" is widely praised for its surprising depth and heartfelt storytelling, often evoking laughter and tears in equal measure. Players report being deeply invested in the characters and their narratives, with many noting the game's ability to blend humor with poignant moments that resonate long after the experience. Overall, it is described as a unique and touching exploration of early internet culture, leaving a lasting emotional impact on those who engage with its quirky yet sincere world.
- “Ultimately, Hypnospace Outlaw is more than just a nostalgia trip—it’s a complex, hilarious, and occasionally heartbreaking exploration of how digital communities form, evolve, and break under the weight of their own contradictions.”
- “I didn't think this game would make me feel the things it made me feel, but I walk away from it having felt things that I don't know if I'll ever feel with anything else ever again.”
- “Hypnospace Outlaw is such a surreal, creative, hilarious, and also surprisingly touching game all about the internet and you.”
atmosphere
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
37%
5%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the essence of the late 90s internet through its unique graphics, beautiful music, and attention to detail. Players describe it as a captivating experience that blends humor, emotional depth, and a quirky aesthetic, making it feel more like an art piece than just a game. While the atmosphere is a standout feature, some reviewers note that it doesn't always translate into a strong narrative, particularly in the game's final act.
- “The atmosphere, music, story, pages, everything about this cheeseball of a masterpiece is amazing, even on a lower-end PC.”
- “Incredible atmosphere enabled by one of the best soundtracks I've seen in a while.”
- “The art, the music, the atmosphere, the sublime puzzles and mysteries presented in the game are all top class, and make for a truly memorable playthrough.”
- “However, that atmosphere does not translate over to an actual good story: without going into spoilers, the third act seems rushed, with stakes rapidly escalating and de-escalating in a way that doesn't feel fully set-up.”
- “So if you're, say, the kind of person who tells children that Santa Claus isn't real, you're probably going to find yourself not gelling at all with the tone and atmosphere of the game, and all of the emotional core of the game is going to fall flat for you.”
- “There are a lot of pages to look through, and it isn't always clear which will be useful and which are just there for atmosphere.”
grinding
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
4%
94%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in post-game content and puzzle-solving. While some appreciate the charm and humor of the game, they often note that the gameplay can become overwhelming and disengaging due to its monotonous tasks. Overall, while the experience may be rewarding for some, the grind is frequently described as a significant drawback.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “What starts out as quirky, charming, and novel quickly wears down to meandering, tedious, and frustrating.”
- “The gameplay is essentially just guessing and checking and becomes tedious very quickly.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but it feels like false advertising and the core gameplay loop is tedious and poorly designed at best.”
replayability
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
58%
10%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players finding it enjoyable and packed with secrets to discover, while others feel it lacks depth and is not very replayable after the initial playthrough. Many appreciate the exploration and additional content available, especially for completionists, but some note that once the puzzles are solved, the incentive to replay diminishes. Ultimately, while there are elements that encourage revisiting the game, opinions vary widely on its overall replay value.
- “It also has a lot of really fun music, scavenger hunts, and plenty of other stuff that you won't see on your first playthrough (I guess that counts as replay value!).”
- “Incredible game, tons of replayability, a huge amount of detail in the in-game world, is very believable, and there is so much content to explore, even after you've finished the game, so you can play and explore as long as you want.”
- “This game definitely has some replayability and it makes me want to go back and try to fix things before the 'end' of the game.”
- “While its gameplay is admittedly shallow and the replay value is extremely low, the story, characters, themes, and the aesthetic take center stage.”
- “Not a lot of replay value here really, but definitely a dense enough experience that you're very likely to miss things your first time through.”
- “Because it has a set story and ending, it's not very replayable.”
stability
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players noting intentional glitches and system errors that enhance the narrative and gameplay experience. While some users encountered minor bugs, stuttering, and visual glitches, these issues were often seen as part of the game's charm rather than major detractors. Overall, the stability issues are generally manageable, with players finding that restarting the game can resolve many of the problems encountered.
- “Crashes, glitches, and system errors are often intentional, part of the narrative or even gameplay mechanics.”
- “Some of the annoyances like slow loading pages, visual glitches, and sudden popups really do get annoying after a few minutes.”
- “In the latter half of the game, you have intermittent graphics glitches just because.”
monetization
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized for its overwhelming presence of ads, which detract from the overall experience and evoke nostalgia for a less commercialized internet. Players encounter a mix of authentic and absurd advertisements, alongside a plethora of irrelevant links, creating a chaotic environment that mirrors the early days of the web. While some appreciate the parody of 90s internet culture, the intrusive nature of ads and simulated slowdowns can quickly become frustrating.
- “Again, the AI-generated content mill stuff about doing trivial tasks that drags on to make you see as many ads as possible is more useless, but that's not saying much.”
- “Ads -- oh lord, the ads.”
- “And having to deal with simulated slower computer, pop-up ads gets old really fast.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
34%
44%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it generally runs smoothly and embraces a charmingly messy aesthetic, players report various issues such as glitches, stuttering, and memory leaks that can hinder performance, especially on lower-spec systems. Some users experienced initial crashes and playback problems that were resolved by adjusting graphics settings, but overall, the optimization leaves room for improvement.
- “Technically, the game runs smoothly, though part of its charm lies in embracing a bit of messiness.”
- “Initially, when I first downloaded it, I ran into a few issues regarding video playback and crashing, but I just needed to change the graphics performance.”
- “The bootscreen isn't smooth, and music can sometimes cause stuttering as it first starts.”
- “I will lastly mention I had an issue where music playback crushed my performance, rendering the game sluggish.”
- “The game is poorly optimized for lower-spec computers, and it shows.”
character development
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and complexity, with users noting the rich portrayal of various internet archetypes that evolve throughout the narrative. Players experience emotional arcs and interpersonal relationships that are influenced by their choices, creating a compelling blend of humor, nostalgia, and genuine storytelling. The writing is described as unexpectedly profound, drawing players into an immersive world where character growth is intricately tied to the evolving digital landscape.
- “Pulls you in with the goofy charm and nostalgia of seeing cheesy 3D GIFs, people struggling to figure out new tech, and teens being awkward - and then slowly sinks its hooks into you with great plot and character development.”
- “All of the characters in the game are very well written, and there's plenty of character development and interpersonal relationships forming, growing, as well as breaking apart, with the player being able to influence how things go.”
- “Way more than a period/nostalgia piece, Hypnospace Outlaw does an incredible job at weaving together interesting character development, subtle world building, tiny esoteric jokes, and a genuine sense of mystery and discovery.”
- “The users were all so specific in their adherence to some kind of internet 'archetype'... but the sheer depth of each of these individuals was kind of crazy. The 'flip-flop' rapper having his work deleted because of a microaggression, the spoken word artist who's desperate for recognition, and the husband-wife RPG duo who are silly geeks but you don't have to look very close at all to see the cracks in their marriage.”
- “But not only that, you are essentially observing people using a form of the internet, so honestly what else can we expect from that experience than to witness a form of character development.”
- “Throughout my entire playthrough, I was certainly immersed in this alternate universe and was actually emotional near the end due to the character development and relationships between characters.”

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85%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews

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10h Median play time

25h Average play time

4-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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Hypnospace Outlaw is a role playing game with fantasy, mystery, comedy and science fiction themes.

Hypnospace Outlaw is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 25 hours playing Hypnospace Outlaw.

Hypnospace Outlaw was released on March 12, 2019.

Hypnospace Outlaw was developed by TetroniMike.

Hypnospace Outlaw has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Hypnospace Outlaw is a single player game.

Similar games include Broken Reality, The Roottrees are Dead, Primordia, Outer Wilds, Who's Lila? and others.

Hypnospace Outlaw

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